Terrebonne Parish boards face new, stricter purchase guidelines

Published: Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 10:59 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 10:59 a.m.

Parish-appointed boards will likely need to obtain three quotes for projects that exceed $1,500, a requirement members weren’t previously required to follow.

The Terrebonne Parish Council approved, in an 8-0 vote, the ordinance intended to ensure board members are being fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars.

Council Chairwoman Arlanda Williams arrived late to the meeting and did not vote.

The measure must be ratified by the full council at its Wednesday meeting, set for 6 p.m. at the Government Tower, 8026 Main St.

The measure passed Monday changed the word bid, included in the original version, to quote.

The council agreed that the formal bid process for low-cost projects would be overkill and likely delay progress.

“There is a difference between bid and quote,” Councilwoman Beryl Amedée said. “When you say something has to have three bids, it’s my understanding that means the formal public-bid process, which includes publication — two-to-three days worth — depending on what the bid is for, whereas the quote process is not quite as formal, but still leads to accountability (and) documentation.”

State law requires public bids for work that exceeds $150,000 or materials that cost more than $30,000, she said.

“That is too high a threshold for a lot of our local boards and commissions,” Amedée said. “Many of them don’t (use) that high a dollar amount for their materials, so they would never even reach this threshold.”

Councilman Pete Lambert added that requiring bids for board’s lower-costs needs, such as equipment repairs for fire departments, could be problematic and put the safety of residents in jeopardy.

The policy change, to be added to all parish-appointed board’s bylaws, comes after Recreation District 11, a public agency that receives about $1million in property tax money from the parish, was scrutinized in August by council members Danny Babin, Dirk Guidry and Russell Hornsby for alleged overspending.

Board Chairman Sidney Smith has denied allegations of wrongdoing.

Councilman John Navy said it is “healthy” to hold boards accountable for fiscal responsibility.

<p>Parish-appointed boards will likely need to obtain three quotes for projects that exceed $1,500, a requirement members weren't previously required to follow.</p><p>The Terrebonne Parish Council approved, in an 8-0 vote, the ordinance intended to ensure board members are being fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars.</p><p>Council Chairwoman Arlanda Williams arrived late to the meeting and did not vote. </p><p> The measure must be ratified by the full council at its Wednesday meeting, set for 6 p.m. at the Government Tower, 8026 Main St.</p><p>The measure passed Monday changed the word bid, included in the original version, to quote. </p><p>The council agreed that the formal bid process for low-cost projects would be overkill and likely delay progress. </p><p>“There is a difference between bid and quote,” Councilwoman Beryl Amedée said. “When you say something has to have three bids, it's my understanding that means the formal public-bid process, which includes publication — two-to-three days worth — depending on what the bid is for, whereas the quote process is not quite as formal, but still leads to accountability (and) documentation.”</p><p>State law requires public bids for work that exceeds $150,000 or materials that cost more than $30,000, she said.</p><p>“That is too high a threshold for a lot of our local boards and commissions,” Amedée said. “Many of them don't (use) that high a dollar amount for their materials, so they would never even reach this threshold.”</p><p>Councilman Pete Lambert added that requiring bids for board's lower-costs needs, such as equipment repairs for fire departments, could be problematic and put the safety of residents in jeopardy. </p><p>The policy change, to be added to all parish-appointed board's bylaws, comes after Recreation District 11, a public agency that receives about $1million in property tax money from the parish, was scrutinized in August by council members Danny Babin, Dirk Guidry and Russell Hornsby for alleged overspending.</p><p>Board Chairman Sidney Smith has denied allegations of wrongdoing.</p><p> Councilman John Navy said it is “healthy” to hold boards accountable for fiscal responsibility.</p>